The Agricultural Business Chamber said that the upcoming El Niño weather effects could pose a threat to South Africa’s food security in the near future.
The country has been experiencing regular bouts of heavy rains in recent months but some environmentalists said that the next climate extremity was likely to follow.
As the four-year cycle of La Niña’s above-normal rainfall comes to an end, experts say that South Africa’s agriculture, which is mainly rainfed, will be strained.
Recent data from the International Research Institute for Climate suggests that El Niño is expected to kick off by the end of this year.
South Africa’s Agricultural Business Chamber has noted that the challenge of an El Niño-induced drought would lead to food insecurity in the region.
Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela explains the phenomenon: “Less rainfall is expected for a region. El Niño might result in some drought as an effect of less rainfall.”
The chamber said that in 2015 when El Niño hit the country, staple crops such as maize dropped by almost three million tonnes in production.
The shortfall of maize and other rainfed crops necessitated imports that the country would not be able to afford this time around.
The chamber’s chief economist, Wandile Shilobo: “These droughts could intensify and cause all sorts of challenges, especially, as we continue to struggle with water infrastructure in South Africa.”
Shilobo said that without an ample supply of rain and with irrigation failures from power cuts, agricultural supply will take a knock.
